


Then stay.

by VandaQ



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Javi has a crush i guess, M/M, TOO MUCH FLUFF FOR MY HEART, shameless flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-22 02:02:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12471012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VandaQ/pseuds/VandaQ
Summary: Javi thought getting used to leading a community would be hard; he thought getting forgiveness from said community would be even harder. He underestimated how hard it would be to long for someone who is never there.





	Then stay.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: This is purely for the entertainment of anyone who ships these two. If you have a canon ship you like more, please don't spread negativity in the comments, thanks.

As the sun slowly hid itself beneath the line of the horizon, it wrapped the city in its mellow light, while shadows were cast gracious and long around the city. The silent murmur of Richmond accompanied the deafening song of the crickets and the wind brought with it different fragrances, the smell Javi liked to think as of ‘home’. The walls stood proud and powerful, a quiet sentinel promising the occupants of Richmond safety. Seeing Richmond fall and having took upon himself to rebuilt it made him value human interaction more than he thought it was possible. Before, he thought a van rushing through empty streets, two children sleeping in the back of it and Kate’s antics were all he needed. Leadership suited him well, though, and he soon realised that no matter how important his core family was he enjoyed the warmth and security of a community. Getting over resentment wasn’t easy for either him or Richmond, but time always brings forgiveness with it. And Javi made sure that when forgiveness and calm arrived, he would fight for it. He never wanted to see parents tempted by death just to see their children again or lovers waking up to an empty, cold bed because muertos got to their other half. He didn’t want to have his friends or family torn up from inside because of guilt and misery. 

 

And he never wanted to add another picture to the altar of the church he was sitting in, lost in thought. He shifted his eyes from the lit candles and trained them on the big windows of the building, tracing with his gaze the patterns in the stained glass. He made a habit out of visiting the church in his free evenings, just pondering about his life, sometimes about what he had to do the next day, but always enjoying the quaint place where he found his peace. He sighed with the smile of a changed man and rubbed his hands on his jeans, before standing up and walking towards the candles that enveloped the altar in their gentle flickers. One by one, they lost their light and when he was finished, he realised it was much darker than he thought. He was about to walk out of the church, when a silhouette caught his attention and his eyes rose to meet the tender smile of a man, surprise lightly decorating his features. 

 

**“Aren’t you a creep? Just watching me like this?** ” he jokingly made, while his steps brought him closer to the man and, without hesitation, he let a strong arm pull him into a welcomed embrace. When the warmth of the other left him, he could see a snicker on the lips of the warrior and he knew what was coming next. 

 

**“Me, a creep? Since when is it against morality to enjoy the presence of a friend?”** If Javier was anything, he was a charmer and he knew it maybe a bit too well. He got used to sweet talking and flirting from a young age and it became like an almost second nature to him, a reflex imprinted in his personality. Usually the reply to his charismatic tactics was a shy giggle, gentle blush or an exasperated and amused expression - the latter usually coaxed out of Kate and the people close to him that knew him all too well to fall prey to his maneuvers. However, there was only one person who could look him straight in the eyes and engage in a battle of wits, the man standing in front of him: Jesus. 

 

**“Charming, as always. When did you get here?”** he voiced as he made a few steps accompanied by his friend towards the doors of the church. **“I didn’t even hear you, you are like a goddamn cat. I should find one of those bell collars for you.”**

 

**“I have been here for a few hours, looking for you,”** Jesus replied with a low chuckle. **“And how do you know I won’t enjoy that? After all, being able to attract your attention no matter where I am should be a good thing.”** Javi had to bite his lip not to let go of the next words his mind wanted to voice: _‘You already have all my attention’_. Instead, he gave an amused smile to the other man and welcomed the summer breeze that brushed against his short stubble as they both walked through the lit streets of Richmond. 

 

**“Did you get a chance to see Kate?”** the leader asked and Jesus gave a short nod, walking in the same pace as him, their shoulders brushing slightly, as if there was not enough room on the street for both of them. 

 

**“She looks ravishing, as always and I got a chance to experience her communication skills first hand. She is a spectacular advisor and it looks like... “** A pause, as if the warrior had to restrain himself from voicing the next words. **“She is great for Richmond,”** he instead finished. Javi’s eyes trained on the other’s features as he did so. Up close, Jesus was much more handsome than any had the chance to see, especially with his hair grazing his shoulders gently and long lashes slowly fluttering above his sculpted cheeks. 

 

**“Yeah, she’s amazing. I don’t know if I could have done all of this without her. She’s been my rock when I needed it. And I wasn’t the only one who found support in her,”** he hushed, feeling almost guilty. Since Javi started working on Richmond, Kate has been like an ointment for everyone’s wounds. She was the glue between him and his community, her motherly and caring nature making people open up to her, letting their tears be wiped away by her soft caresses and encouraging words. A moment of silence stood between the two, interrupted only by Javi greeting one of the women that passed them with hurried steps. 

 

**“They seem to have accepted you just fine as well, handsome.”** The low voice resonated close to him, holding in its inflections the usual kindness Jesus held in his tone. No wonder he was known as ‘Jesus’, Javi thought for a long second. He shrugged as a reply and, with a lively smile, he grabbed the other’s man shoulder and made: 

 

**“Enough about me. What about you? Where have you been this past two months?”** At that, Jesus almost leaned in to Javi’s touch - or so the leader thought - before the hand retreated and Jesus’ features were decorated with a dazzling smile. 

 

**“I mainly travelled around, finding survivors and doing what I do best: stealing hearts.”** Javi could not resist a laugh at the other’s arrogant grin and his confident wink. He bumped into the other softly and did not make an effort to go back to his position afterwards, almost leaning onto the taller man. 

 

**“Well, there are no hearts here to be stolen, so you’re wasting your time,”** he defiantly pronounced, feeling Jesus’ hand softly brush against his, the temptation of touching the taller man so powerful. 

 

**“I beg to differ,”** came the hushed words of the warrior and Javi could barely stop himself from giving himself away with all he had to the wonderful man next to him. 

 

**“Sure, sure, Casanova,”** Javi made, jokingly, stopping in his tracks and turning to face the other man. He made a sign with his hand and, with an inviting, almost flirtatious smile, he asked: **“Want a drink?”** Jesus visited his place plenty of times before - every time he was in town, actually. It was almost like a ritual for them, walking together to his place before having a few drinks and Jesus then taking his leave for the place where he and his men usually slept in. He knew he didn’t even need to ask the other, but he still did, the way the brown eyes of the other softened at the sound of those words melting his heart. 

 

They walked into the house and Jesus took his usual place on the porch outside the living room. Soon after, Javi appeared out of the kitchen with a bottle of something and two glasses and he joined the warrior outside. The next few hours would be filled with laughter, banter, moments of solemnity as they shared their minds and hearts and Javi was so - so grateful he got to spend at least those few hours in the other man’s company. He was the only one he felt he could talk to without worrying he would say the wrong thing. Kate was already burdened with the worries and pain of the rest of Richmond, David was never much of a listener and Gabe looked up to him too much for Javi to let himself seen at his most vulnerable in front of him.

 

**“Your mind is wandering. I wonder where,”** Jesus said softly as Javi poured his second glass from the red wine they enjoyed. The leader shook gently his head and gave a sheepish smile to the other man while placing the bottle in the space between them.  

 

**“It’s dumb,”** he chuckled, with a pained tone in his voice, before stealing a glance in the direction of the warrior and taking a sip from his drink. In the dark, he could barely distinguish the other’s features, but he felt Jesus would not let it go that easily. And Javi wasn’t sure if he wanted the other to let it go, in all sincerity. 

 

**“Test me, I have heard many foolish things coming from you.”** The words of the other were light, but they held in their tone an air of seriousness. Javi had to take in a breath and as he did he rose his gaze to the sky that was now decorated with glistening stars and a few dark clouds following each other on the dark canvas. 

 

**“Have you ever thought of… Staying in Richmond?”** His question was at first welcomed with silence and he was expecting a simple answer like ‘I am already staying in Richmond, aren’t I?’. Instead, when he turned his head to look at the warrior, he found a pondering, pained expression upon the other’s features - something he never saw until then in Jesus. And that thing - Javi could swear - made his pulse quicken and his mouth dry. 

 

**“Yes”** , a short answer that left the other’s lips with a tint of desire, of longing. **“Yes, I thought about it before. But you know I cannot leave my men and my friends out there, they need my help, my support.”** Javi just gave a nod to the other’s words and sighed to himself, ready to change the subject and forget his disappointment. Instead, before he could make a stupid joke like ‘who wants you here, anyhow?’, he felt a warm hand draped over his knee and when he turned his head, Jesus was much closer than before. **“I never find a reason to stay for too long anywhere I travel, but Richmond might be one of the fewest places I find the hardest to leave.”** There was an unnerving sincerity in the man’s words and as Javi stared into the hypnotising brown of the other’s eyes, he felt himself compelled to lean into Jesus’ warmth. Instead, he let his palm cover the hand that was lying atop his knee and Jesus’ fingers wrapped around his, securely. He glanced shortly at their hands and an almost defeated expression was painted across his face. 

 

**“I don’t know if they need you as much as I do,”** Javi whispered, his words almost lost in the swarm of sounds the crickets made. There was silence and then the warmth of the other’s fingers suddenly disappeared. The leader closed his fingers and ran his thumb along where the other’s warmth was a moment ago, closing his eyes and smiling to himself. He wanted to disappear into the darkness of the night and he imagined that if he closed his eyes he could actually do that. But before he could wallow anymore in his misery, he heard a creak next him and a big palm embraced his jaw. His eyes locked with the brown ones of the other man and a curious light enveloped Javi’s features. 

 

**“I know for sure I don’t need them as much as I need you, however.”** The hushed words were slowly silenced as the distance before them diminished and he found himself leaning into the other man, kissing him with a hurtful longing in his heart. If he was one to appreciate romance more, he would have probably been calmer about this, but he was not. All he could do was abandon himself into the other’s embrace and kiss him; kiss him furiously, with all the anger and resentment over the time they spent apart lingering between their lips; kiss him passionately, with all the untold wishes and desires his heart harboured crushed in their maddening intimacy. When he opened his eyes and he was able to take a breath again, Jesus still held him close, as if he was too afraid that if he let go he would lose him. And all Javi could think were two words: 

 

**“Then stay.”**

**Author's Note:**

> The Walking Dead left me in shatters and I needed to glue myself together by having these two share a sweet moment. Jesus is one of my favourite characters in The Walking Dead universe and Javi is officially my baby so I had to write something for them. 
> 
> Anyhow, hope you enjoyed this little (is it little?) story and let me know in the comments if you have any other prompts for these two you'd like to see written - this tag is a bit empty, so let's enrich it. :) Thanks for reading.


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